Alliance Medical, the largest independent provider of MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and CT (Computed Tomography) scanning in Europe, has been awarded a five-year Government contract to provide improved access to cancer diagnostics for patients in the north of England, through the PET/CT North scheme as part of the Phase 2 National Independent Sector programme.

A key objective of the PET/CT North scheme is to provide improved diagnosis for cancer patients, leading to improvements in quality of care. Alliance Medical will provide the capacity for approximately 48,000 NHS PET/CT scans over the lifetime of the contract. It is expected that the first patients will have access to the scheme in Spring 2008.

The PET/CT scheme is designed to help meet the benchmark of 800 scans per million of population by the year 2010. It will also help to ensure the integration of a new diagnostic specialty in the UK.

As part of the scheme, Alliance Medical will be providing access to PET/CT scanning in Teaching and Specialist Cancer Hospitals across the north of England; in Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Stafford, Clatterbridge, Hull, Sheffield and Leeds.

Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said:

“This is great news for the north of England. With better technology and faster access to diagnostic scans, this scheme will help to ensure that patients have the best possible chance of surviving cancer.”

Andrew Smith, Managing Director of Alliance Medical said:

“Alliance Medical has been delivering PET/CT services across England since 2003, and we’re very pleased to be further expanding these services in the north of England, providing NHS patients with access to this state-of-the-art technology, and supporting the NHS in improving the ability to survive cancer.”

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NOTES TO EDITORS

• PET/CT stands for Positron Emission Tomography / Computed Tomography, and is a very powerful technique that is primarily used for the diagnosis and in the treatment planning of cancer.
• Alliance Medical owns more than 190 scanners across Europe, covering MRI, CT and PET imaging. The company is the largest provider of medical imaging services in Europe and has unrivalled expertise and experience in the provision of MRI scans.
• In June 2004, the Company was awarded a contract (MRI Fast Track) from the Department of Health for 635,000 MRI scans to be carried out over 5 years as part of the Fast Track scheme. This represents a 16% increase in NHS capacity.
• Further information can be found at www.alliancemedical.co.uk